FOOD: Lamb kebabs with eggplant and Turkish chilli.

Serves 6 – 12 x 20cm metal skewers

– 2 tbsp olive oil

– 1 tsp sea salt

– ½ tsp ground black pepper

– 1 tsp sweet paprika

– 1kg boned lamb leg cut into 3cm cubes

– 3 small eggplants

– 1 tbsp butter

– 1 tbsp flour

– 100ml milk

– 100g crumbled Bulgarian fetta

– 1 tbsp lemon juice

– bunch of flat leaf parsley, picked and washed – 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Combine olive oil, sea salt, ground black pepper and paprika in a bowl. Add the lamb to the spices and coat well. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight. When you wish to serve the lamb, light a barbecue. Prick the skin of each eggplant a few times and grill over the fire until the skin becomes charred and smoky and the flesh is soft and creamy. Transfer the eggplants to a bowl and cover with cling wrap to rest for 20 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard. Reserve the juices that come out of the eggplant, and chop the flesh. Meanwhile, melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook over a low heat for two to three minutes (it should start to smell like fresh-baked pastry).

Add the milk to the pan in three stages, allowing the mixture to thicken after each addition and whisking all the while. Add the reserved eggplant juice and continue to cook on a low heat for one minute. Add the chopped eggplant, fetta and lemon juice. Skewer the lamb with six pieces on each skewer. Drizzle the kebabs with a little olive oil and grill on the hot barbecue to medium. Dress the parsley leaves with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Serve with the lamb kebabs alongside the eggplant. Add a good pinch of Turkish chilli to each plate.

Wine pairing: 2014 Naked Run Hill 5 shiraz cabernet, Clare Valley ($25) – Liam O’Brien, sommelier for Cutler & Co and Marion wine bar